Guardiola, though, is no doubt as to who he prefers, telling L’Esportiu on Messi: “He is the best player I have ever seen.

“The best thing about him is not what he does but how simple he makes everything look.

“He is not just the best player because he can dribble past three or four players, it is because he does it better than anyone in the world.”

Guardiola has also had his say on the end of another productive era at Camp Nou, with Luis Enrique having vacated Barca’s managerial post after three years at the helm.

His final campaign saw Real wrestle the Liga title away from Catalonia, while also claiming the Champions League crown, but Guardiola believes Enrique has left solid foundations in place for successor Ernesto Valverde to build on.